Multi-needle table embroidery machine



July 28, 1959 K. SCHEIBEL ET AL 2,396,552

MULTI-NEEDLE TABLE EMBROIDERY MACHINE Fil ed Nov. 21, 1955 INVENT Rs KURT scuensen. mva MAP-LARETHE SCHEIBaL- ATT'ORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet l K. SCHEIBEL ET AL MULTI-NEEDLE TABLE EMBROIDERY MACHINE July 28, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 21, 1955 INVENTORS m aw /N m c w R E w r s r M TM R H mm ICfi 2,896,562

a .7 Patented July as, 1959 2,896,562 MULTI-NEEDLE TABLE EMBROIDERY MACHINE Kurt Scheibel and Margaretha Scheibel, Dresden, Germany, assignors to VEB Spezialnaehmachinenwerk Limbach, Limbach-Oberfrohna, Germany Application November 21, 1955, Serial No. 547,999

1 Claim. (Cl. 112-103) This invention relates to embroidery machines, and more particularly to multi-needle table embroidery machines wherein the embroidering implements are carried by upper and lower bridge-like supports, said two supports being connected with the frame of the machine and being spaced from each other so as to form a passage, and said passage including a table carrying the guiding means for guiding the embroidering frames.

An object of this invention is to provide a multi-needle table embroidery machine of above described type having an increased efficiency.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multineedle table embroidery machine wherein the weight of the guiding means for guiding the embroidering frames is considerably less in relation to the number of embroidering needles than in hitherto customary machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multineedle table embroidery machine with a certain number of embroidering needles requiring less overall space than hitherto customary multi-needle table embroidery machines having the same number of embroidering needles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multineedle table embroidery machine wherein the fabric may be embroidered successively by different sets of embroidering needles.

Another object of the invention is to improve on the art of multi-needle table embroidery machines as now customarily made.

Other objects and structural details of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a multi-needle table embroidery machine according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the right hand end of the machine shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a layout of the floor plan of six machines as shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic top plan view of a different embodiment of a machine according to the invention.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the embroidery machine according to the invention comprises two spaced apart and substantially parallel rows of embroidering implements generally indicated by 40 and 41 respectively. Needle heads 1 of one of the rows are accommodated in an upper bridge-like support 3 disposed over a table 2. Likewise, needle heads 4 of the second row are carried by an upper bridge-like support 5 also disposed over said table 2. Said supports 3 and 5 are connected with each other at the sides of the machine by transverse connecting bars 7. The parts of the embroidering implements which cooperate with the needles are located on lower bridgelike supports 42 and 43. The ends of the supports 3 and r 42 are integral with or secured to standards 44. Similarly, the ends of the supports 5 and 43 are integral with or secured to standards 45. The standards 44 and 45 are mounted on a base 20. A carrier 6 arranged for carrying the embroidering frames 26 associated with both rows 40.and 41 of embroidering implements extends between said rows 40 and 41in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the machine- Said carrier 6 rests on the table 2, common to both rows 40 and 41. The table extends freely in the longitudinal direction between the standards from the one end of the machine to the other and transversely through passages between the supports 3, 5 and supports 42, 43 beyond the rows of the frames 26.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the needle heads 1 of the row 40 and the needle heads 4 of the row 41 extend in opposite directions. I They are driven in the same sense of direction as indicated by the arrows A and B in Fig. 2.

An electric motor 120 drives main shafts 12 and 13 extending throughout the width of the machine. These shafts, in turn, drive intermediate shafts 14, 15 by means of intermeshing gears 61, 63 on one side and 62, 64 on the other side of the machine. Gears 51 and 52 mounted at the upper ends of the intermediate shafts 14, 15 mesh with gears on shafts 8 and 9, respectively, said shafts being journalled in the heads 1 and 4 respectively. Said shafts cause reciprocating movements of the two series of embroidering needles 55 and 56 by means of trains of gears and additional mechanisms (not shown).

Gears 57 and 58 secured to the intermediate shafts 14 and 15 respectively mesh with associated gears on shafts 10 and 11, said shafts extending lengthwise of the machine in parallel relation to shafts 8 and 9 on the lower supports 42, 43. Said shafts 10 and 11 drive loopers indicated at 56 in synchronization with the oscillation of the needles 55, 56 and in a predetermined ratio of revolutions thereto.

Hand wheels 16 and 17 keyed to the ends of shafts 13 and 12 may be used for a manual operation-of the machine from either side thereof.

Furthermore, either one of the two rows 40 and 41 of embroidering implements may be disconnected from the main drive 120 by means of the clutches 1.8 and 19.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the above mentioned connecting bars 7 are in the same plane as the supports 5. Therefore said bars 7 are likewise above the table 2.

The connection of a Jacquard automat 21 with the carrier 6 carrying the embroidering frames 26 is between the right hand bar 7 (as viewed in Fig. 1) and the base 2t The automat 21 is arranged below the plane of the table 2 and the drums 22 and 23 for winding up and unwinding the Jacquard card 24 of the automat 21 are arranged outside said table 2. The Jacquard automat 21 likewise driven by the shaft may be of any suitable and conventional type and comprises the two customary component mechanisms for two directions being at right angles to each other. A part of the one mechanism is the pinion 50, and a part of the other mechanism is the bevel gear 51. The auto-mat 21 as hereinafter described, moves the carrier 6 carrying the embroidering frames 26 and is centrally located relative to the two rows 40 and 41 of embroidering implements, so that the drive of the carrier 6 by the automat 21 may take place in both directions.

As best shown in Fig. 1, the carrier 6 is substantially in the shape of a rectangular frame. The longitudinal edges of said frame 6 carry the holders 25 which in turn hold the embroidering frames 26.

A T-shaped guiding element is arranged at the lower surface of said carrier 6; one bar 27 of said T-shaped guiding element is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the and actuated by the pinion 50 of the Jacquard automat 21 shaft 31 having secured thereto to a bevel gear 52 in mesh with and driven by the bevel gear 51 of the automat 21, is journalled in parallel relation to the longitudinal axis of the carrier 6. Pinions 32 secured to said rotatable shaft 31 are, in mesh with apair of racks 33 fixedly attached to sleeves 34 in which bar 27 is free to slide rightwardly and leftwardly. A rotation of pinions 32 by the automat 21 actuates racks 33 in a direction perpendicular to that of the firstdescribed longitudinal direction of bar 27 and said bar being slidingly accommodated in said sleeves and moving in longitudinal direction follows at the same time the fore or back movement of sleeves 34 attached to racks 33. All parts of the just described mechanism are so arranged and interconnected that when the lacquardautomat 21 is midway of its operative cycle the two sleeves 34 and sleeve are aligned in one plane, as shown in Figure 1.

Preferably, a layer of synthetic material having a smooth surface is bonded or attached to table 2 in order to facilitate the movement of the carrier 6 carrying the embroideringframes 26. Preferably, anti-friction bearings are arranged between the carrier 6 and the table 2. According to Fig. 1, the antifriction bearings 35 are arranged at the longitudinal bars 37 of the carrier 6.

The embroidery machine according to the invention is normally used for embroidery of two fabrics, one being embroidered on each side of the machine. The fabrics are fed in the direction of arrows C and D (Fig. 2) from opposite directions. Thus, during the operation of the machine, said two fabrics are moved towards and deposed on the carrier 6, which for this purpose may be covered with a thin layer of plastic material having a smooth surface similar to thatused for covering the table 2. Instead of the described arrangement, the entire carrier 6 may be made of plastic material and in such case the frame is provided on the two sides thereof with separate rails or bars 37 connected with holders 25 for holding the embroidering frames 26. The T-shaped guide member 27, 28 is secured to the lower surface of such a carrier 6 of plastic material. The two short sides 38 and one longitudinal side 39 of, the plastic carrier 6 itself or of a plastic layer covering the carrier 6 are bent upwardly whereby a tray open only at one longitudinal side, i.e. the side opposite to the side 39, is formed. This shape prevents the running off of the fabric at a side of the machine.

Instead of using the carrier 6 for carrying the embroidered fabric, a separate device, independent of the carrier 6, for carrying, suspending or drawing-off by suction for example, the embroidered fabric could be arranged between the two rows 40 and 41 of needle heads.

If desired, the embroidery machine according to the invention could also be used to embroider only one fabric by the embroidering implements 1 or 4 of one of the two rows 40 and 41 by simply disconnecting one of the clutches 19 or 18. In such a case, of course, the separate device for carrying, suspending or drawing-off the 'embroidered fabric becomes unnecessary.

As best shown in Fig. 1, the control elements for controlling the operation of the machine are arranged at three sides thereof. The front side and the rear side of the machine are mainly used for operating the machine and the control'elements of the carrier 6'are arranged at one of the short sides. The opposite short side of the machine is free from outwardly projecting control elements. Therefore, groups of embroidery machines 70 according to the invention may be arranged in pairs as shown in Fig. 3. It will be noted that the machines It? of a pair of machines are positioned with their sides free from controlling elements abutting against each other. It is obvious that such a floor plan will save much space since there is only one carrier for carrying the embroidering frames of two rows of embroidering implements of each embroidery machine and since there is only one operating alley 71 between two pairs of the machines for the rows of embroidering implements of the machines of two pairs facing each other.

According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 the machine 170 has two adjacent groups, of rows of embroidering implements, each group comprising two parallel spaced rows of said embroidering implements. The Jacquard automat 2 1 is centrally arranged at the front of the machine between the two groups. Supports 103 and 105 for the needle heads are carried by a centrally mounted member 139 arranged between said two groups of embroidering implements.

If desired, the two rows of needle heads 1, 4 could be arranged at opposite sides of a single support. In such a case a common shaft 13 may also be .used for driving both rows of needles and loopers through the medium of shafts 8-11.

Instead of controlling the movements of the carrier 6 by means of a Jacquard automat 21, it is also possible to control the movements of the carrier 6 by hand in a machine having the features according to the invention.

While an appreciable saving of space has been stressed above in relation to the floor layout of a plurality of machines, it will be evident that the machine per se saves also much space per embroidery unit, as there is only one carrier 6 for two opposite rows 40, 41 of emroidery implements.

We have described preferred embodiments of our invention, but it is understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that various omissions and changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

What we claim is:

In a multi-needle table embroidery machine, the combination of: a pair of oppositely arranged spaced series of embroidering implements, each series of embroidering implements including a row of needles and a cooperating row of loopers, a table extending between said rows of needles and loopers, a carrier for carrying a plurality of embroidering frames in operative relation to said series of embroidering implements, said carrier being movable on said table and being accommodated substantially in the space between said spaced series of embroidering implements, first actuating means operatively connected with cooperating needles and loopers at one side of the machine, second actuating means operatively connected with cooperating needles and loopers at the other side of the machine, a drive common to both actuating means, a first disengageable coupling means operatively interconnected with said first actuating means and said drive, and second 'disengagcable coupling means operatively interconnected with said second actuating means and said drive.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France Oct. 30, 1932 

